Professorships of Distinction
REG 05.20.17
(Employment – EPA)
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Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor.
History: First Issued: November 14, 1986. Last Revised: February 13, 2008. Additional History Information .
Related Policies:
UNC Policy 600.2.3 - Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund
Additional References:
N.C.G.S. §116-41.17
Professorships of Distinction: Recognizing Excellence, Building Excellence
List of Currently Active Professors of Distinction
Contact Info: Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (919-515-9770)
1. Introduction
This regulation defines three categories of professorships of distinction with their associated titles and establishes uniform criteria and procedures for awarding these professorships. Faculty holding professorships of distinction prior to March 1, 2005 may continue to hold the specific professorship bestowed or may elect to change their professorships as set forth herein. This regulation does not apply to the Alumni Distinguished Graduate and Undergraduate Professor Awards.
2. Professorships of Distinction
2.1. Distinguished Professorships
2.1.1. Professorships created from the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund. Distinguished Professorships may be held by the recipient as long as the recipient remains a full time faculty member or for more limited times as authorized by the Board of Trustees at the time of the original establishment of the Distinguished Professorship or when it is vacated.
2.1.2. Professorships. University awarded recognitions that are bestowed on candidates meeting the intellectual criteria set forth in Section 3.1 but which have no specific funds necessarily associated with or supporting this honor.
2.1.3. A Distinguished Professorship may be combined with a Named Professorship pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 4. If combined, the title would be Named Distinguished Professor
2.2. Distinguished University Professorships
University-awarded recognitions Professorships that are bestowed on candidates meeting the intellectual and service criteria set forth in Section 3.2. A Distinguished University Professorship may be combined with a Named Professorship pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 4. If combined, the title would be Named Distinguished University Professor.
2.3. Named Professorships
Privately funded professorships that are established by agreement between a donor and the University or an affiliated university foundation. These may be endowed or funded for a time limited period and criteria are specified by the donor.
3. Criteria
3.1. Distinguished Professor
The candidate must be an outstanding faculty member or potential faculty member who has achieved recognition well above the criteria for full professor and be considered one of the best scholars in their discipline. Distinguished professors will be known and respected nationally and internationally by scholars in their field.
In the case of Professorships created from the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund the candidate must also meet the criteria established by the donor as set forth in the Plan for establishment of the Distinguished Professorship submitted by the Chancellor and approved by the President. In the case of University awarded Distinguished Professorships, there are no specific funds necessarily associated with or supporting this honor.
Except for Professorships created from the Distinguished Professors Endowment Fund, the total number of Distinguished Professors appointed on or after March 1, 2005 is capped for each college at 4% of the total number of tenured/tenure-track faculty, all fractions rounded up to next whole number, on the official fall semester census date. Exceptions to the cap may be approved by the Chancellor.
3.2. Distinguished University Professor
The candidate will have attained all the criteria for a Distinguished Professor and, in addition, have improved the quality of NC State and served its mission through service and involvement in the campus community. There are no specific funds necessarily associated with or supporting this honor. The total number of Distinguished University Professors appointed on or after March 1, 2005 is capped for each college at 2% of the total number of tenured/tenure-track faculty, all fractions rounded up to next whole number, or two, whichever is greater, on the official fall semester census date. Exceptions to the cap may be approved by the Chancellor.
3.3. Named Professor
The candidate must be an outstanding faculty member or potential faculty member who meets the criteria of the privately funded professorship.
4. Procedures
4.1. Distinguished and Distinguished University Professorships
4.1.1. Professorships created from the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund.
4.1.1a. The Distinguished Professor shall be appointed at the rank of professor as set forth in the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund (Section 600.2.3 of the UNC Policy Manual).
4.1.1b. The plan required from the Chancellor for the establishment of a Distinguished Professor will describe the academic department or other unit to which the professorship will be assigned and whether it will be filled by an external or internal appointment or by either.
4.1.1c. Upon request of the Chancellor, the Provost will request the appropriate Dean to follow the selection procedures set forth in 4.1.2.
4.1.2. University-awarded
4.1.2a. The nominations are transmitted by a Dean to the Provost.
4.1.2b. Upon request of the Provost, the Dean shall recommend a number of faculty members sufficient to allow the Provost to select a committee, including a chair, which shall be comprised of no fewer than five persons with a majority being professors of distinction whenever possible, and with representation of the nominee's discipline, as appropriate. For a Distinguished University Professorship, at least one member of the committee must be a full time Distinguished University Professor.
4.1.2c. The committee shall obtain and review information on the qualifications of the nominee and make a recommendation to the Dean. The Dean makes a recommendation to the Provost who then makes a recommendation to the Chancellor.
4.1.2d. The Chancellor approves or rejects the recommendation.
4.2. Named Professorships
4.2.1. The Dean of the College in which the named professorship resides will by Rule determine the procedures to be followed for selection of a Named Professorship. Such procedures shall be consistent with the criteria and procedures, if any, specified by the donor and agreed to in writing by the university.
4.2.2. Named professorships will not be allowed to use the terms Endowed, Distinguished or Distinguished University in the title of the endowed professorship. These terms may only be used if the individual holding the Named Professorship is also awarded the additional professorship pursuant to the applicable procedures set forth in 4.1.
4.2.3. Dean informs the Provost and Chancellor of awards.
4.3. Request to Change Title of Professorships of Distinction Awarded Prior to March 1, 2005.
4.3.1. Faculty member submits request for change in writing through their Department Head to their Dean.
4.3.2. Dean forwards approved requests to the Provost. Requests denied by the Dean are final.
4.3.3. Provost approves or disapproves and informs Dean.
